Disposable dust mop head



Jan. 9, 1962 E. 1. MARRINSON ETAL DISPOSABLE DUST MOP HEAD Filed Nov. 12, 1 958 Patented Jan. 9, 1962 3,015,834 DISPOSABLE DUST MOP HEAD Ernestine I. Marrinson, 4619 Davis, and Mar orie B. Rothschild, 8943 Samoset Blvd., both of Skokie, Ill. Filed Nov. 12, 1958, Ser. N 0. 773,322 3 Claims. (Cl. 15228) This invention relates generally to dust mops, and more particularly, relates to a disposable dust mop head which is adaptable for use with any known type of mop stick.

Mops, as a general rule, are cumbersome; necessitating wringing out, washing, and/or frequent shaking after their use in order to free the captured dirt and dust from the body of the mop. This shaking of mops is usually done from a porch or backyard, and, in todays crowded urban communities, results in untold complaints by neighbors, spreading of dust over the area, inconvenience, aching arms, and a generally had disposition. Even after all these efforts, the dust mop retains a good proportion of the captured dust, and thus is rendered less efficient for subsequent use.

For these reasons, and others, the art has long needed a disposable mop. A dust mop, however, to be disposable must be economical and therefore must be capable of manufacture and sale at very low cost. Obviously, it must be able to efficiently gather and hold dust. It must be easily attachable or detachable from some sort of carrying device such as a mop stick, and it should not deteriorate, tear or otherwise be destroyed during its use.

Important objects of the invention are to provide a mop head which is disposable; which is adapted to be easily engaged by any conventional mop-end or holder; which is capable of capturing and holding dust, lint and the like, and which can be manufactured and sold at very low cost.

The prior attempts to provide a disposable mop head have brought forth m-any structures aimed at solving the problems encountered in inexpensive manufacturing. Some of these structures have been various types of mop covers which are attached to regular mop heads, and are then disposed after use. None can be used independent of a regular mop head. It is another object of this invention, therefore, to provide a disposable mop head for use without a mop body portion and in place of a conventional mop.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a disposable mop head which has no specific fastening means such as flaps or other appendages for securing said mop on the mop-end. Some mop head covers must be held in place on the mop-end by means of flaps encircling said mop-end, or by other fastening means such as buttons, snaps, hooks and eyes, etc. These parts are relatively expensive, thus adding to the material cost, and requiring additional labor to afiix them to the article. Since economics are a substantial factor in producing a disposable mop, elimination of these extra fastening means would permit manufacture of these articles for subsequent disposability.

A further object of our invention is the provision of a mop head which does not shed threads or lint during use in the manner of conventional mops. Most mop bodies are composed of a large number of cotton strings and the like, which when in use after a short length of time will shed as they are being used. This characteristic results in a reduction of efficiency, and, in many cases, in not leaving a clean surface, but a surface having scattered threads or lint thereon. In any event, the use of prior mops is unsanitary and undesirable.v

Another object of this invent-ion is to provide a disposable mop head with means integral therewith for loosening dirt and dust, as well as absorbing same from a surface. A mop head which is not disposable after use generally presents a rough, dirt loosening surface so as to be able to loosen dirt which has been secured to the surface to be cleaned.

Many institutions, as Well as homes having sick-rooms, are required to keep a sterile, sanitary condition in said rooms, and, due to the presence of harmful bacteria,

virus, or otherwise communicable conditions, must immediately dispose of all materials used in these rooms so as to prevent the spread of such condition. Likewise laboratories engaged in the usage of radioactive materials face that same need for disposal. This demands the use of economically disposable materials which readily replace the ordinary mop commonly used; the disposable mop head being capable of enabling a superior cleaning job. It is the object of the invention to provide a mop head meeting these requirements.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a disposable dust mop head composed of materials having the capability of being easily impregnated with cleaning agents or wax materials.

The foregoing and other objects of the invention will become apparent from the ensuing description, which includes a preferred embodiment of the invention in detail and illustration thereof in, the accompanying drawing. Minor variations in the size, arrangement, proportion and construction of the several parts may occur to the skilled artisan without departing from the scope or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a sectional view through a disposable mop head constructed in accordance with the invention, the same being shown secured to a conventional mop stick.

FIG ,2 is a perspective view of the mop head disassodated from the stick.

FIG. 3 is a bottom plan view of the same.

The basic concept of the invention lies in providing a mop head which can be secured to almost any known type of mop stick, or even to an ordinary stick with an enlarged member at the bottom thereof, and which is highly efficient in gathering and holding dust. Such mop head according to the invention is formed of two members secured together, one being a bottom dust-gathering member having certain configurations and properties, and the other being a top protective member which has novel means for securing the mop handle thereto. The mop head has great efliciency as described in the objects set forth above, and is readily disposable, and yet is manufactured from extremely economical and easily formed materials.

Referring now to the specific details of the invention, the same is shown embodied in a mop head designated generally by the reference character 10 and is illustrated in FIG. 1 secured to a mop stick 12 which has a mop head holder 14 secured to the bottom end thereof by means of a sleeve 16 pivoted at 18. This mop head holder 14 is only shown diagrammatically because according to the invention, it can be any of the wire loops or metal members found on mop sticks, it can be any type of wet mop head holder of metal or plastic, or it may even be an enlarged member such as a piece of Wood or metal or plastic secured to the bottom end of a stick, either with or without a pivoting structure like the sleeve 16. The mop head of the invention is constructed without any stiffening framework or heavy support members and hence is flexible enough to provide whatever pivoting may be needed in moving the same over floors, ceilings, walls or furniture.

It is desired to point out, in addition, that the phrase mop head is merely a usage which isintended to signify a structure according to the invention, regardless of whether it is used on floors, furniture, vehicles, walls, etc.

The mop head 10 is formed of two members secured together in a unitary assemblage, and these are designated 20 and 22.

The bottom member 22 is shown as comprising a rectangular member of some treated paper having substantial tear strength and being impregnated with a cleaning compound of known chemical composition. There are several such papers available commercially, being sold for home use as dust rags or the like. The paper is a relatively rough-surfaced paper, normally provided with uneven crinkles or rather rough texture, almost of the same consistency as paper towelling, but having greater strength. The member 22 is gathered as shown into the pleats 24 which provide a plurality of pockets or recesses 26 within which the dirt, dust and lint can be captured. The pleating as shown in the illustrations is fairly even, and would probably be of such evenness in most gathering machines used to form the same, but the pleats may be uneven with as great efliciency. Further, the gathering need not be in the form of pleats but can be any type of gathering which will result in the existing of a plurality of folds, recesses, pockets, wrinkles, and the like on the bottom of the member 22.

The bottom of the mop head thus gathers and holds the dirt, dust, lint and the like, not only by virtue of the chemical impregnated in .the paper due to the afiinity of oils, waxes, and synthetic resinous or oily or waxy materials, but in addition because of the interstices, pockets, gathers and folds of the wrinkles and pleats or the like formed in the bottom.

The member 22 is shown to have substantially rectangular configuration, but it will be appreciated that the shape can be otherwise. Likewise, the unga-thered member has a length which is very much greater than its final length because of the gathering.

The gathers, folds, pleats or the like designated 24, are held in place by lines of stitching 28 which extend transverse of the member 22, not necessarily evenly or parallel, but generally in the same direction that the member has been gathered.

The top member is preferably formed of a sheet of some plastic material, such as polyethylene, polyvinyl, or other flexible synthetic sheeting and is of a configuration substantially the same as the gathered member 22. As shown, the member 20 is rectangular, but is substantially larger than the gathered member 22. Thus, when sewn to the top of the gathered member along the lines of stitching 30, which are just spaced inside the periphery of the resulting structure 10, the member 20 will bulge upward as best shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 and as indicated at 34. This gives rise to a space 36 between the members 20 and '22.

The center of the member 20 is provided with a generally circular opening 38 which has an edge binding of some elastic member 40 sewn thereabout. The size of the opening 38 is relatively generous so as to accommodate practically any of the known mop head holders, and the elastic member 40 is made short so that it contracts the opening 38. This means that when it is desired to mount the mop headto the holder 14, the opening 38 is simply stretched and the holder inserted into the space 36, after which the binding 40 isreleased and contracts about the mop head holder 14. The mop is thus ready to use.

The presence of the plastic member 20 prevents dust and the like which may permeate the member 22 and pass through member 22 from coming ofif the mop head 10. It helps the member 22 retain its spread-out shape without providing bulk or unnecessary stiffening. It thus serves several functions. Since it will not permit any dirt or the like from passing through member 22, its ex ternal surface will remain clean irrespective of the condition of the member 22 and when the housewife desires to dispose of the mop head 10, she can manipulate the same without touching anything dirty, by using the member 20 to remove, fold, and throw out the mop head. Further, when the mop head is in the waste-bin, the plastic or impervious layer 20 confines the dirt and the like from spreading.

It will be appreciated that the mop head 10 is extremely thin from top to bottom. It can reach under furniture and other objects not normally reachable by conventional mops and still provides efiicient dirt-gathering and holding.

It is believed the invention has been described in suflicient detail to enable same to be understood and practiced by persons skilled in the art to which same appertains. The principles of the invention have been embodied in the claims hereto appended which are desired to be broadly construed commensurate with the contribution made by the invention.

We claim:

1. In combination with a mop handle, a disposable mop head to be secured to said handle and having an upper flexible plastic member, means thereon removably securing same to said handle, said means comprising an opening disposed in said plastic member and having elastic means bound along the peripheral edge of an opening disposed in said plastic member so as to make said opening resiliently contractible; a lower dust gathering member composed of a chemically impregnated paper material, said member having a plurality of gathers formed therein, and between said gathers, interstices are provided for the holding of dust collected by said gathers; both the upper flexible plastic member and the lower dust gathering member being secured adjacent their peripheral edges, said gathers being fixedly engaged by spaced lines of stitching across the length thereof whereby said interstices are maintained in desired position.

2. A dust mop head characterized by its disposability and comprising a bag enclosure formed by securing adjacent their peripheral edges a flexible impervious plastic member and a chemically treated paper member having a plurality of gathers therein, said bag enclosure having a resiliently contractible opening therein, said opening being formed in the plastic member and adapted to engage a mop stick.

3. A disposable mop head adapted to be secured to a handle and having an upper flexible impervious dust shielding member of thin, flexible, non-frangible sheet material, a lower dust absorbent member of rough textured paper material which has been impregnated with a dust attracting material, both said members secured together adjacent their peripheral edges, said upper member having a centrally disposed opening formed therein, and

an elastic member disposed adjacent the peripheral edge of said opening contracting said opening, said lower member having a plurality of gathers formed across the length thereof, and a plurality of stitching lines in said lower member, said stitching lines being spaced one from the other along the width of said lower member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,851,811 Christie Mar. 29, 1932 1,852,114 Green Apr. 5, 1932 2,738,533 Peterson Mar. 20, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS 20,326 Great Britain of 1907 481,824 Great Britain Mar. 18, 1938 731,569 France May 30, 1932. 

